Search Results for: blog identity theft ways to protect your money

Preventing Cyber Bullying

Unsupervised kids and the internet are a bad combination. As a single mother it’s almost impossible to watch your child every second they are on the computer. Somehow, we must, until they are old enough to really understand the dangers it is our job to protect them from themselves. Young girls do not understand that people are not always who they say they are, that boy from the next town they are chatting with may very well be a grown man preying on young girls. There are many ways to protect kids online, the biggest being keeping the computer in … Continue reading →

Could Your Baby’s Identity Be Stolen?

Posted on by

I was shocked when I heard a news story a while back about a girl going to get credit for the first time at 18 years old only to find out that her identity had been stolen when she was a baby. These people that had stolen her identity had racked up literally hundreds of thousands of debt on her social security number. If you think that there is no way this could happen to your child, think again. The truth is that your child’s identity is more likely to be stolen than your own. How do they do it? … Continue reading →

Protecting Your Money

Yesterday I revealed my status as an identity theft survivor. My identity was ripped off nearly a decade ago, yet the sting is ever-present. A former colleague of mine was the perpetrator. Looking back, it was probably very easy for him to obtain access to my computer since we worked just a few cubicles down from each other. Hacking is just one of the ways thieves can gain access to your personal information and ultimately steal money from you. However, according to new reports, very few people realize that cybercrime is taking place, even after their sensitive information has been … Continue reading →

Losing Money from Identity Theft

Here’s something many people don’t know about me: I was the victim of identity theft. It happened less than a decade ago by a guy I worked with. The FBI, as well as local police got involved because the incident crossed state lines. The guy’s motives were beyond sick and he ended up being tried and convicted. Fortunately, I didn’t lose too much financially, though I can’t say the same for the emotional toll it took, especially since I feared for my safety nearly every day after he was caught, arrested, and then freed on bail. According to an identity … Continue reading →

Reducing Paper Clutter

Today I have some tips for dealing with paper clutter. I don’t know about you but it seems that the more paper I get rid of the more there is! The first thing I did was take steps to eliminate the amount of paper I receive. You can register on the Direct Marketing Association website, dmachoice.org and the Consumer Credit Reporting Industry’s website, optoutprescreen.com to remove your name from lists for mailing and credit card offers. Then call you card issuers and ask them not to send you things like balance transfer checks, you can request them if you need … Continue reading →

Talking to Your Parents About Their Finances

There are many things that people tend to become concerned about as their parents get older. Things like the physical and mental health and well being of their elderly parents are often top of mind for many adult children. The finances of elderly parents are also often a cause for great concern, especially if the adult children do not live close to them. How can you help to ensure that your parents stay current with their bills and stay away from scam artists who target the elderly without offending them? It is a delicate path to walk, to be sure, … Continue reading →

Identity Theft Protection

Do you worry about identity theft? It crosses my mind every time I have to share my social security number or see a commercial for LifeLock. Those LifeLock commercials are compelling. The company has a great ad company writing its spots. The ads tug at just the right emotional centers to get watchers or listeners to want to buy the service. I have always loved participating in online message boards. They are wonderful places to talk to all sorts of people you would never get a chance to talk to otherwise. You can learn new things and share what you … Continue reading →

Keep Your Mail Safe

When I was a little girl I’d wait on the corner for the mailman. I liked walking with him to our house. I was always excited about my Ranger Rick magazine coming. I felt so special and important walking with the mailman too. I hated the mailboxes at our first married home, a cute townhouse at the beach. They were so small. I couldn’t wait to have a house of our own so we’d have a real mailbox again. With our first house our neighbors at the end of the cul-de-sac replaced their mailbox with one that locks because they’d … Continue reading →

Protect Your Family By Knowing Your Credit Score

What is your credit score? Has it changed recently? Is your credit score considered to be low, or is it nice and high? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might be at risk for identity theft. One great way to protect your family from identity theft is to be extremely careful about whom you share personal information with. But, even the most careful person can become a victim of identity theft. The best way to protect your family from identity theft is by being keenly aware of your credit score, and to know what, exactly, is … Continue reading →

Do Not Call List

I just finished moving and in the process received a new phone line. At first, I did not register my new phone number with the Do Not Call List as my old number was. I now realize how spoiled I was for the last five years being on the Do Not Call List. Some of you may not even know what the Do Not Call List is or you may be like me, blissfully enjoying the silence. Either way, I thought my recent experience might be worthwhile to share with you all. The Do Not Call List is a government … Continue reading →